The new Butts County Administration Complex was completed and occupied on March 13, 2006 (Phase I) with Phase II completed in April of 2008. One major focus of the new facility is that it places as many offices under one roof as possible and provides new, expanded space for the Administration, Community Development, Tax Departments, Voter Registration and Elections Department, E-911 Communications, the District Attorney's Office, the Industrial Development Authority and the Visitors Center. The Butts County Chamber of Commerce operates the visitors center and makes its headquarters there as well. A large auditorium provides meeting space for Commission, Zoning Commission, Board of Equalization, Community Development and other internal functions. It will allow the old courthouse courtroom to serve its purpose to the courts only. This meeting room will seat 175 persons in the audience (if all chairs are needed) as well as space for 5 commissioners and 4 executive staff personnel.
Fifty-four full time personnel and ten part time personnel work in this facility. The facility is divided into two wings, east and west, which are separated by the Auditorium. Offices located in the West Wing are accessed through the tower entrance doors and include the following suites:
Butts County Tax Assessors Office, Suite 1
Butts County Tax Commissioners Office, Suite 2
Butts County Community Development, Suite 3
Butts County Commissioners Office, Suite 4
Butts County Elections & Registration, Suite 5
The East Wing offices may be accessed through the front doors on the left side of building front and include the following suites:
Butts County Development Authority, Suite 6
Butts County Visitors Center, Suite 6
Butts County E-911, Suite 7 (NOT ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC)
Butts County District Attorney, Suite 8
County Administrator Van Whaler managed the project, assisted by Deputy County Administrator Michael Brewer and Facilities Director Bill Holton. The Administration Complex was paid for entirely by SPLOST using a one cent sales tax. The facility came in under budget and saved approximately $2 million over the costs of building a facility from scratch. Additionally, it rehabilitated a local eyesore into a gateway facility that the citizens of Jackson, as well as all Butts County citizens should be proud of.